Intake manifold for v-engines



Nov. 1, 1955 Filed Aug. 22, 1952 W. E. DRINKARD ETA!- INTAKE MANIFOLD FOR V-ENGINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY //md w. E. DRINKARD ET AL 2,722,203

INTAKE MANIFOLD FOR V-ENGINES I Nov. 1, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 22, 1952 Nov. 1, 1955 w. E. DRINKARD ETAL 2,722,203

INTAKE MANIFOLD FOR V-ENGINEIS Filed Aug. 22, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I |F I/ I p (6d 5 24/14 4 I x Z! d/e/nwd/ 9 /4 1444 A rway/r576.

Nov. 1, 1955 w DRmKARD ET AL 2,722,203

INTAKE MANIFOLD FOR V-ENGINES Filed Aug. 22, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent INTAKE MANIFOLD FOR V-ENGINES William E. Drinkard, Birmingham, and Melbourne L.

Carpentier, Detroit, Mich., assignors to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application August 22, 1952, Serial No. 305,818 13 Claims. (Cl. 123-52) This invention relates to intake manifold structures for engines of the type having a pair of cylinder banks arranged at an angle to each other and especially for V-8 engines.

Our invention has particular application to improving the intake manifolding of a V-8 engine of current manufacture which is fed by a dual-barreled carburetor and wherein each barrel of the carburetor serves manifold structure arranged to feed two inner cylinders of one bank of the engine and two outer or end cylinders of the other bank of the engine.

Manifold structures for engines of the aforesaid type have been difficult and costly to make because they have necessitated the use of complex patterns requiring multilayered cores which are difiicult to support to produce them. Moreover, the problems faced in using such patterns in preparing the casting molds, are such that only a few foundaries have the expert personnel and equipment necessary to cope with the situation and could handle the castings of these manifolds.

The principal object of our invention is to overcome the foregoing problems and difficulties and provide a satisfactory intake manifold structure that may be made using simple patterns which do not require specialized handling, and that may be cast by any foundry.

In our copending application Serial No. 283,198, now Patent No. 2,686,506, granted August 17, 1954, we have shown a form of bipartite manifold for V-8 engines in which the fuel-air, i. e., gas conduits still follow a complex pattern involving intertwined portions but can be produced without core or casting difiiculties and in which the assembled structure is capable of easy assembly and has the rigidity and efiiciency of an integral manifold.

We have discovered that the problem may be still further simplified and a manifold of adequate efficiency and rigidity obtained by an entirely diiferent approach and which even makes feasible the die casting of at least one section of the manifold.

Hence another object is to provide an intake manifold structure of bipartite character wherein at least one section requires no coring and may be made by sand or die casting, and the other section has a simple pattern structure facilitating easy casting.

In accordance with our invention, the manifold is made in two sections, an upper one and a lower one. The upper section is made to provide with the top of the lower section, an elongated distribution chamber in which the fuel-air mixture is received through suitable riser means from the carburetor means. The mixture is then directed downwardly through short risers in the top wall of the lower section to independent conduits which connect with the intake passageways of the engine. The risers are so located that the conduits do not have to entwine with each other in connecting with the intake passages of the engine, but generally speaking, are made to lie in a common planeimmediately below the distribution chamber. Moreover, the arrangement ice makes possible a satisfactory suction action on the carburetor means.

Our invention, moreover, lends itself to application where one or a multiplicity of carburetors are required, it being only necessary to interchange top sections.

A further object is, therefore, to provide a manifold construction which may be changed from a single carburetor or barrel installation to a multiple or barrel installation by merely using a different top section, the bottom section being common to all applications.

Further objects and advantages of our invention will be more apparent as this specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevational view partly in section of an 8-cylinder V-type overhead valve engine embodying the multi-section manifold of our invention, the section through the manifold being taken approximately at 1-1 of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the assembled manifold of our invention;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the assembled manifold of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the assembled manifold of Figure 2 with the top section partly in section to show the conduit inlets, the section being taken at 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional development taken in elevation at 5-5 of Figure 2 showing all the conduits serving one bank of cylinders;

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of the assembled manifold of our invention taken at 6-6 of Figure 2 and showing the distribution chamber being fed by a dual carburetor seated over the manifold riser passages;

Figure 7 is an exploded end elevational view of the manifold of our invention;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the upper section of the manifold of our invention;

Figure 9 is a plan view of a sealing gasket used between the sections of the manifold shown in Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a top plan View of the manifold of our invention with the top section removed to show the lower section alone and its riser passages and conduits;

Figure 11 is a plan view of part of the upper section of our manifold arranged for feeding by a four-barrel carburetor, the remainder being otherwise the same as Figure 8; and

Figure 12 is a plan view of part of a further modification of the upper section of Figure 8 for feeding by a single-barrel carburetor.

Referring now to the drawings wherein similar numerals are used to designate similar parts of the multisectioned manifold structure of our invention, we have illustrated our invention as applied to a V-8 engine of current manufacture, which comprises, as seen in Figure 1, angularly-arranged banks 6, 8 of cylinders 10 provided in cylinder blocks 11. Secured to each cylinder block is a cylinder head generally designated by the numeral 12 which is provided with hemispherical combustion chambesr 13 for each cylinder.

Each cylinder is provided with a reciprocatory piston 14 for actuation by a crankshaft 15 through a connecting rod 16 and wrist pin 17.

The combustion cavities 13 of each bank are each provided with a single inlet valve 18 and a single exhaust valve 19 arranged transversely of the longitudinal axis of the engine at a substantially wide angle to each other, for instance 60, and on a great arc of the spherical segment forming the combustion chamber.

The inlet and exhaust valves of both banks are operated from a single camshaft 20 located above the crankshaft 15, by rocker arms 21 and 22 respectively, and push rods 23 and 24 respectively. All the inlet valves are in a common longitudinal plane and the same is true of the exhaust valves.

As seen in Figure l, the ,cylinder heads 12 are provided with inlet or intake passages 25 leading to the valves 18 and which connect with gas-conducting passages hereinafter referred to, of the manifold of our invention, the latter being generally designated by the numeral 26. The heads 12 are likewise provided with exhaust passages 27 leading from the valves 19 to the exhaust manifold 28 that conducts the exhaust gases from the engine.

In Figure l, the left hand exhaust manifold structure is provided with a thermostatically controlled heat valve 29 which when closed while the engine is running, permits the exhaust gases of the cylinder bank 6 to be directed through a passage 30 across the so-called hot spot portion or passage 31 (Figures and 6) of the intake manifold 26 in juxtaposition to the intake system so as to facilitate preheating of the gas or fuel-air mixture being conducted from the carburetor means 32 illustrated in Figures 1 and 6 as a dual-barrel downdraft carburetor, positioned on the intake manifold 26, to the cylinders by way of the inlet valves 18.

The manifold 26 of our invention extends longitudinally of the engine intermediate the cylinder banks 6 and 8 and is seated on the cylinder heads 12 of the respective banks at 33, 34 respectively, as seen in Figure 1.

In securing the above-described features, the manifold 26 is concurrently made of bipartite character comprising, as seen in Figures 1 and 7 inclusive, an upper section (Figure 8) generally designated by the numeral 35 and a lower somewhat larger section (Figure 9) generally designated by the numeral 36.

As will be evident from Figures 5, 6, and 8, the upper section is of simple design, requires no core work on the pattern, and may be either sand cast or die cast. It comprises a generally rectangular dish-like or cover-like member recessed on the under side and formed by wall structure that includes (see Figures 5 and 8) a top wall 38, and an L-shaped peripheral wall intersecting the top wall 38, that includes end portions 39, 40 side portions 41, 42 and a continuous mounting flange portion 43,

Rising from the top wall 38 of the section 35 is a mounting pad 44 having a finished face 45 for receiving the carburetor means 32. This pad is by preference located generally centrally, both longitudinally and transversely of the top section 35, and has threaded holes 46 for receiving screws (not shown) which secure the carburetor means in place. The pad 44 includes vertical riser passages 47, 47 which coincide with the carburetor barrels 48 of the dual-barreled carburetor shown from which the gas or fuel-air mixture may be delivered to the risers 47 under control of bladed throttle member 49 located in the barrels 48 and adapted to assume any condition from fully open to fully closed throttle, and which passages 47, 47 open into the recessed portion of the section 35 for delivering fuel-air mixture thereto.

As evident from the drawings, the number of risers will vary with the number of carburetor barrels feeding the chamber, two being shown in Figure 8 for use by a dual carburetor or two single-barrel carburetors, one appearing in Figure 11 for use by a single-barrel carburetor, and four showing in Figure 12 for use with a single fourbarrel carburetor having paired throttle blades.

The mounting flange 43 of the upper section has a generally horizontal finished or machined lower face 50, and the lower section 36 has a complementary or matching finished or machined face 51 forming part of the upper or top wall 52 of this section. In securing the two sections together, these finished faces 50, 51 are brought into faceto-face relationship with an intervening sealing gasket 53 and are clamped by the screws 54' which enter the threaded holes 55 of the lower section 36 (Figure 10).

The lower section 36 has opposite longitudinally extending converging mounting flanges 56, 57 provided with the inclined finished or machined under faces 58, 59 which coincide with the mounting faces 33, 34 respectively, of the cylinder heads when seating the manifold. It will be observed from Figure 2 that the mounting flanges 56, 57 are somewhat longitudinally offset with respect to each other and symmetrically relative to the riser openings 47, 47

The manifold is bolted in position with intervening sealing gaskets 60 by bolts (not shown) which pass through the mounting holes 61 of the section 36 into threaded holes (not shown) of the cylinder heads.

The top wall 52 of the lower section 36 provides with the recess-forming wall structure of the upper section 35, an enclosed distribution chamber 65 for receiving the airfuel mixture from the carburetor means 32 through the risers 47, 47

From this chamber 65 the air-fuel mixture is conducted to the intake passages 25 of the cylinders 1, 3, 5, 7, of the right bank of cylinders of Figure l (the cylinder numerals being designated in Figure 4 by the circled numbers) by conduits 71, 72, 73, and 74 which have by preference circular inlet apertures or short risers 75, 76, 77 and 78 respectively, opening into the distribution chamber 65 through the top wall 52 of the upper section and rectangular outlet apertures 79, 80, 81, 82 in the mounting flange 57.

Similarly, and in symmetrical manner, the intake passages 25 (not shown) of the cylinders 2, 4, 6, 8, of the left cylinder bank in Figure 1, connect with the distribution chamber 65 by conduits 84, 85, 86, and 87 which by preference have circular inlet apertures or short risers 88, 89, 90, and 91 respectively, opening through the wall 52 into the chamber 65 and have rectangular outlet apertures 92, 93, 94, 95 respectively, in the flange mounting portion 56.

The conduits 71, 72, 73, 74, 84, 85, 86, and 87 are preferably of rectangular section and have suitable wall portions forming them which intersect with the top wall 52 and one or the other of the mounting flanges 56, 57. Insofar as these conduits overlap the top wall 52, the latter wall provides in part one wall of the conduits.

It will be observed that the conduits are independent of each in plan and do not intertwine with each other. Moreover, they may, generally speaking, be said to be in the same plane in elevation.

Moreover, it will be noted that by preference, the two intermediate conduits 72, 73 of one bank and 85, 86 of the other bank extend to the apertures 76, 77, 89, and 9t) aligned on the central longitudinal axis of the manifold, while the other conduits extend to apertures 75, 78, 88, 91 located in the respective corners of the top wall 52 and section 35.

By. dividing the distribution chamber 65 into two 1ongitudinal compartments 65 65 by means of an up-' standing zigzag wall structure 95 extending longitudinally of the manifold and preferably forming part of the top section 35 wall structure, it is possible to avoid having succeeding cylinders in the firing order (for example 1, 8, 4, 3, 6, 5, 7, 2) from drawing from the same compartment or where multiple-barrel carburetors are employed, from the same barrel or pair of barrels.

In this connection, it will be seen from Figures 2 and 4 that the wall structure 95 extends toward the risers 47, 47 from the end walls 39, 40 so as to divide the chamber 65 into a left compartment 65*- extending between the apertures 88 and 91 and having lateral wings extending to the apertures 76 and 77 and immediately below the riser 47 and into a right compartment 65 extending between the apertures and 78 and having lateral wings to the apertures 89 and 90 which overlap those of the left compartment going to the apertures 76 and 77 respectively, and having a lateral wing extending to immediately below the riser 47. It will be noted that portions of the wall structure form semi-circular wall portions at the apertures and risers.

If two single carburetors are used instead of a single dual-barrel carburetor, the structure is similar to that of Figures 2 and 4 but the spacing between the risers 47 and 47 is greater. Where a four-barrel carburetor or four single carburetors are employed, the zigzag partition wall 95 as seen in Figure 11, is continuous as in the case of the dual-barrel arrangement. Moreover, it is preferred to have two barrels respectively communicate with the risers 47 and 47 of the compartment 65* and two respectively with the risers 47 and 47 of the compartment 65 of the distribution chamber 65.

When a single-barrel carburetor is employed, the zigzag wall structure 95 will, as seen in Figure 12, stop at the opposite sides of the riser 47 so as to permit the right and left compartments 65 and 65 to each connect with each other and with the single riser 47 In order to maintain a substantially uniform section in the compartment passages adjacent the risers, the side walls 41 and 42 are preferably slightly bowed or concave at 98, 98 adjacent the risers 47, 47

Preheating of the air-fuel mixture in the distribution chamber is provided for by an exhaust gas crossover conduit or passage 31 which, as best seen in Figures 1, 2, 4, and 6 extends between the mounting portions 56, 57 of the lower section 36 immediately below the risers 47, 4-7 and has a portion of its wall structure provided by the top wall 52 of the section 36. This passage connects with the exhaust passages 30 of the cylinder heads 6 and 8 which in turn connect with the exhaust manifold structure.

The conduit 31 preferably has its greatest width in the portion of its length below the section 35 and then narrows or necks down at its opposite transverse ends and terminates in an aperture 100 in the flange 56, and an aperture 101 in the flange 57.

To provide greater heat distribution to the fioor or top wall 52 of the chamber 65, a plurality of spaced-apart generally parallel heating fins or ribs 103 are provided in the wide section of the conduit 30 immediately below the section 35 and extend longitudinally of the conduit 30.

From the foregoing description of the manifold structure of our invention, it Will be apparent that we have provided a compact manifold of a bipartite construction wherein at least one section is a simple sand casting or preferably a die casting, and the other is a sand casting of simple design having no complicated core structure and in which any core portions have ample support and may be easily handled by any foundry. Moreover, by interchanging top sections, the manifold may easily be changed from a single carburetor or barrel installation to a multiple carburetor or barrel one. On actual test, these manifolds have provided good power and torque outputs.

Although the invention has been particularly illustrated as applied to a V-8 engine, it will be understood that the principles and features embodied in our invention may be applied by those skilled in the art, to other engines not of V design, for example, one having opposed cylinders, and to engines having a greater or lesser number of cylinders, all without departing from the letter or spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. An intake manifold for an engine having opposite cylinder banks, the cylinder heads of which engine are provided with air-fuel intake passages,'said manifold comprising opposite side portions for mounting the manifold on the engine, and a central portion integrally connecting said side portions, said central portion having wall structure including a floor Wall providing an air-fuel distribution chamber, and having further wall structure providing a plurality of air-fuel conduits for conducting airfuel mixture from said chamber to said intake passages, said first mentioned wall structure having aperture means through which to introduce said mixture into said chamber and each of said conduits having a terminal opening in said floor wall and having a terminal opening coincident with an intake passage in a side mounting portion.

2. An intake manifold for an engine having opposite cylinder banks, the cylinder heads of which engine are provided with air-fuel intake passages, said manifold comprising a lower section and an upper separable section, said lower section including a top wall portion for seating said upper section and having opposite side portions for mounting the manifold on the engine, said upper section including wall structure providing with said top wall of said lower section an air-fuel distribution chamber, and having aperture means through which to introduce air-fuel mixture into said chamber, and said lower section including a plurality of conduit means for connecting said chamber with said intake passages, said conduit means having terminal openings in a mounting portion and in said top wall portion.

3. An intake manifold for an engine having opposite cylinder banks, the cylinder heads of which engine are provided with air-fuel intake passages, said manifold comprising a lower section and an upper separable section, said lower section including a top wall portion extending generally horizontally intermediate the cylinder banks for seating said upper section, and including side portions on opposite sides of said top wall portion for mounting the manifold on the engine, said upper section including wall structure providing with said top wall of said lower sectionan air fuel distribution chamber, and including riser means for introducing air-fuel mixture into said chamber; there being a vertical zigzag wall portion in said chamber extending longitudinally from opposite ends thereof dividing said chamber into two compartments having lateral wings; said lower section having a plurality of apertures in said top wall thereof, one each located substantially at the ends of each of said compartments and at the outer ends of some of said wings, and said lower section including wall structure providing individual air-fuel conduits extending from each said apertures for connecting with said intake passages, each conduit having a terminal opening in a mounting portion.

4. An intake manifold for an engine having opposite cylinder banks, the cylinder heads of which engine are provided with air-fuel intake passages, said manifold comprising a lower section and an upper separable section, said lower section including a top wall portion extending generally horizontally intermediate the cylinder banks for seating said upper section, and including side portions on opposite sides of said top wall portion for mounting the manifold on the engine, said upper section including wall structure providing with said top wall of said lower section an air-fuel distribution chamber, and including riser means generally centrally of said wall structure of said upper section for introducing air-fuel mixture into said chamber and said wall structure of said upper section including zigzag vertical wall portions extending from said riser to the opposite ends of said chamber and dividing said chamber into a pair of longitudinally extending compartments having overlapping wings, there being a plurality of apertures in said top wall of said lower section, one being located substantially at each end of said compartments and at the outer end of each overlapping wing and said lower section having air-fuel conduits extending from said apertures to said mounting portions and having terminal openings in the latter for connecting with said intake passages.

5. An intake manifold for an engine having opposite cylinder banks, the cylinder heads of which engine are provided with air-fuel intake passages, said manifold comprising a lower section and an upper separable section, said lower section including a top wall portion extending generally horizontally intermediate the cylinder banks for seating said upper section, and including side portions on opposite sides of said wall portion for mounting the manifold on the engine, said upper section including wall structure providing with said top wall of said lower section an air-fuel distribution chamber, and including riser means generally centrally of said wall structure of said upper section for introducing air-fuel mixture into said chamber; and said wall structure of said upper section including azigzag vertical wall extending oppositely from each side of said riser means to the ends of said chamber so as to divide said chamber into a pair of longitudinally extending compartments, each having an elongated passageway and a pair of side wings, the wings of the passageways overlapping each other; there being a plurality of apertures in said top wall of said lower section, one being located substantially adjacent each" end of said elongated passageways and at the outer end of each overlapping wing, and said lower section having non-overlapping air-fuel conduits extending laterally of the manifold from said apertures to said mounting portions and having terminal openings in the latter for connecting with said intake passages.

6. An intake manifold for an engine having two V- arranged banks of four cylinders each and the cylinder heads of which are provided with air-fuel intake passages, said manifold comprising a lower section and an upper separable section seated on said lower section, said lower section including a top wall portion extending generally horizontally intermediate the cylinder banks for seating said upper section, and including side portions on opposite sides of said wall portion for mounting the manifold on the engine, said upper section including wall structure providing with said top wall of said lower section an airfuel distribution chamber, and including riser means generally centrally of said wall structure for introducing air-fuel mixture into said chamber, and said wall structure including a zigzag vertical wall extending divergently from each side of said riser means to the ends of said chamber dividing said chamber into a pair of longitudinally extending compartments, each having an elongated passageway and a pair of side wings, the wings of the passageways overlapping each other; there being a plurality of apertures in said top wall of said lower section, one being located substantially adjacent each end of said elongated passageways and at the outer end of each overlapping wing, and said lower section having non-overlapping air-fuel conduits extending laterally of the manifold from said apertures to said mounting portions and having terminal openings in the latter for connecting with said intake passages, and each compartment having the conduits from its passageway apertures extending to one cylinder bank and having the conduits from its wing apertures extending to the other cylinder bank.

7. An intake manifold for an engine having two V- arranged banks of four cylinders each and the cylinder heads of which are provided with air-fuel intake passages, said manifold comprising a lower section and an upper separable section seated on said lower section, said lower 8 section including-a top wall portion extending generally horizontally intermediate thecy-linder banks for seating said upper section, and including side portions on opposite sides of said wall portion for mounting the manifold on the engine, said upper section including wall structure providing with said top wall of said lower section an airfuel distributionchamber, and including riser means generally centrally of said wall structure for introducing air-fuel mixture into said chamber, and said wall structure including a zigzag vertical wall extending divergently from eachside of said riser means to the ends of said chamber so as todivide said chamber into a pair of longitudinally extending compartments, each having an elongated passageway and a pair of side wings, the wings of the passageways overlapping each other; there being a plurality-of apertures in-said top wall of said lower section one being located substantially adjacent each end of said elongated passageways and at the outer end of each overlapping wing, and said lower section having non-overlapping air-futlconduits extending laterally of the manifold from said apertures to said mounting portions and having terminal openings in the latter for connecting with saidintake passages, and each compartment having the conduits from its passageway apertures extending to one cylinder bank and having the conduits from its wing apertures extending to the other cylinder bank and all the conduits being in a lower plane than said compartments.

8. An intake manifold as claimed in claim 2 wherein saidcondui't means are in substantially the same plane.

9. An intake manifold as claimed in claim 7 wherein the said compartments do not open into each other.

10. An intake manifold as claimed in claim 7 wherein the said compartments open into each other at said riser means.

11. An intake manifold as claimed in claim 7 wherein the said riser means comprises a pair of risers, one connecting with each compartment and wherein said compartments do not open intoeach other.

12. An intakemanifold as claimed in claim 7 wherein the said risermeans comprises a single riser opening into each compartment.

13. An intake manifold as claimed in claim 7 wherein the-said riser meanscomprises four single risers two serving each compartment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,862,723 Summers June 14, 1932 2,098,424 Kolimbat Nov. 9, 1937 2,104,178 Anderson Jan. 4, 1938 2,127,079 Barkeij Aug. 16, 1938 2,135,628 Smith Nov. 8, 1938 2,160,922 Sullivan June 6, 1939 

